Testa diu.
Hor. Ep. lib. i., ep. 2, ver. 64. "The docile colt is form'd with gentle skill
To move obedient to his rider's will.
In the loud hall the hound is taught to bay
The buckskin trail'd, then challenges his prey
Through the wild woods. Thus, in your hour of youth
From pure instruction quaff the words of truth:
The odours of the wine that first shall stain
The virgin vessel, it shall long retain."
Francis.
Verse 7
The rich ruieth over the poor - So it is in the order of God, and may be a blessing to both.
Verse 8
He that soweth iniquity - The crop must be according to the seed. If a man sow thistle seed, is it likely he shall reap wheat? If he sow to the flesh, shall he not of the flesh reap destruction?
Verse 9
A bountiful eye - One that disposes him to help all that he sees to be in want; the bountiful eye means the bountiful heart; for the heart looks through the eye. The merciful heart, even when the hand has little or nothing to give, shall be blessed of the Lord.
Verse 11
He that loveth pureness of heart - Who aims to be what God would have him to be - the King of kings shall be his Friend. There is no class of men that value uprightness more than kings; as none stand so much in need of it in their servants.
Verse 12
The eyes of the Lord - (the Divine providence) preserve knowledge - This providence has been wonderfully manifested in preserving the sacred oracles, and in preserving many ancient authors, which have been of great use to the civil interests of man.
Verse 13
The slothful man saith, There is a lion without - But why does he say so? Because he is a slothful man. Remove his slothfulness, and these imaginary difficulties and dangers will be no more. He will not go abroad to work in the fields, because he thinks there is a lion in the way, he will not go out into the town for employment, as he fears to be assassinated in the streets! From both these circumstances he seeks total cessation from activity.
Verse 14
The mouth of strange women is a deep pit - In [Pro 23:27], he says, A whore is a Deep Ditch:, oud a strange woman is a Narrow Pit.
The allusions in these three places are too plain to be misunderstood.
Virgil's hell has been adduced in illustration: - - Sate sanguine Divum,
Tros Anchisiade, facilis decensus Averni;
Noctes atque dies patet atri janua Ditis:
Sed revocare gradum, superasque evadere ad auras,
Hoc Opus, hic Labor est.
Pauci quos aequus amavit
Jupiter, aut ardens evexit ad aethera virtus,
Dis geniti potuere.
Virg. Aen, lib. vi., ver. 125. "O glorious prince of brave Anchises' line!
Great godlike hero! sprung from seed divine,
Smooth lies the road to Pluto's gloomy shade;
And hell's black gates for ever stand display'd:
But 'tis a long unconquerable pain,
To climb to these ethereal realms again.
The choice-selected few, whom favoring Jove,
Or their own virtue, rais'd to heaven above,
From these dark realms emerged again to day;
The mighty sons of gods, and only they.
Pitt.